


Threshold

by MimBeech



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Bi Juliette, F/F, Femslash, Fluffy, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, Lesbian Rosalee, No Sex, Season 2, Spoilers Perhaps, Strangers to Lovers, a bit of kissing, gratuitous tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 01:42:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12784227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MimBeech/pseuds/MimBeech
Summary: When Juliette experiences her terrifying hallucinations from Season 2, she doesn’t just deal with them herself, she seeks help from Portland’s resident Wesen-apothecary expert Rosalee Calvert. The two women grow closer as they research a solution for Juliette’s problem.Extremely fluffy and indulgent, a bit hurt and comfort. By my HCs, Juliette has let Nick go and is not infatuated in any way with Renard, Rosalee is a lesbian and still great friends with Monroe.





	Threshold

She knocked hesitantly at the door of the Exotic Spice & Tea Shop. It was late, far too late, but she didn’t know where else to go. When there was no sign of life after a minute or so she summed up the courage to knock again, louder this time.

She heard something muffled then, from within the shop. Possibly, “Be right there”, or maybe “Who’s there?”. _Thank god someone’s in_ , she took a steadying breath.

Rosalee answered the door in a long black kimono, flaking gold embroidery on the cranes at the hem. Her hair was loose about her shoulders, mussed at the back. _She was in bed_ , Juliette thought, feeling guilty. She looked at Juliette quizzically, apprehensively.

“Hi Rosalee, I’m so sorry, did I wake you? I’m Juliette, Nick’s girl-- ex-girlfriend. Uh, I’ve got some crazy things happening, and Nick told me you’re the only person I know who knows about this stuff. I know you’ve helped him with things in the past, I didn’t know who else-“ Rosalee stemmed Juliette’s helpless outpouring by gently taking her upper arm and pulling her into the shop.

“I know you, Nick showed me pictures of you together. Come in,” she said, somewhat croakily, “it’s close to midnight, and it’s cold out. Of course I’ll help you.”

Juliette followed her inside gratefully, tripping over the threshold, the only thing that kept her upright was Rosalee’s firm (yet soft) grip on her arm.

“Why don’t you sit on the chaise there, I might make something hot to drink – might make you feel better,” Rosalee smiled kindly, then chuckled, “might wake me up a bit more too.”

Juliette, having been lulled into the comforting notion that here was someone who could help her, suddenly remembered that she’d woken Rosalee by knocking at her door. “I feel terrible for getting you out of bed, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m sure you’ve got a good reason.” Rosalee looked at her for a beat, frowning slightly. “Alright then, tea fine with you?”

“Yeah… fine.” 

Rosalee shuffled off, rubbing at her eye with the heel of her hand. Juliette found herself looking around at her surroundings. She’d never visited the Spice Shop before. Nick had passed her a torn out page from his notebook with its address a few weeks ago, and told her that if she ever needed help when things were getting freaky (his words), this was the place to go. That was just after she’d broken up with him. She had just been getting flashes and hints of their past relationship, but their dynamic had become too strange, too alien. She had told him that it would be best for both of them to extricate themselves from one another. 

Nick had been hurt – his eyes had misted as she explained her feelings – but he took the blow admirably. _He knew it was coming. You can’t love someone you don’t really know._ The more she found out about him, the more she realised that, even before her memory broke down, Nick had become a stranger and a mystery.

Then the worst of the hallucinations had hit. Seeing visions of Nick was endurable, fragments of memory returning to her shattered awareness. Nothing could have prepared her for the sheer terror of losing the floor in her home, peering into indefinite blackness, hearing a muttering of voices that could only be described as demonic. 

Quaking in fear, she had cautiously opened her front door once more and sat down on the front steps of her home. Panic had risen in her throat, making it difficult to breathe. Then she’d thought of the note Nick had given her, the address scrawled in his unruly handwriting. It was tucked in her wallet, and it had taken a while to retrieve it with her shaking hands. Looking up the address on her phone, she memorised the route and leapt into her car.

The drive had been dangerous, her heartbeat in her ears, her muscles tense, and her mind distracted. She’d initially returned home late and the process of pulling herself together had taken the best part of an hour, so she set off nearing 11:00pm. This was fortunate, because the streets of Portland were generally clear this late at night. She’d soon found herself knocking at the door of an unfamiliar shop in a bohemian neighbourhood.

Juliette was stirred from her memories by a distant voice asking her a question. “Sorry?” she responded automatically.

“I said, do you want sugar?” Rosalee was carefully making her way back across the room, holding two full mugs.

“Uh, no, no thank you.”

“Good, I don’t like sugar in herbals, and I don’t like people who do.” Rosalee smiled again, but her joke fell on deaf ears. She passed one steaming cup to Juliette and sat down next to her. “I feel a bit better with hot tea in my hands… So, do you want to tell me why you’re knocking at my door in the middle of night?”

Juliette took a sip of the tea, expecting an interesting blend from such an exotic shop. It turned out to be simply peppermint, and it burned her tongue slightly. “I, uh, I don’t know what Nick’s told you, but I’ve been having some memory problems since I woke up from a coma – among other things,” she added somewhat darkly.

“Nick did fill me in a while back, but it sounded as if you were handling it. What’s changed?” 

_She’s certainly practiced in her bedside manner, Nick mentioned she was some sort of doctor for Wesen_ , Juliette thought to herself. She took a breath, steadying herself. Memories of what she’d seen just a few hours ago came rushing back to her, making her heart beat faster. 

“Hallucinations,” Juliette brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, “About two hours ago, I swear I saw the floor of my house open up to a gaping hole, absolutely nothing there. It was huge, and went down forever. I’ve never even heard of something like this, I don’t, I don’t know-“ She broke down, tears falling freely down her cheeks.

Rosalee put an hand on her back, rubbing comforting circles between Juliette’s shoulder blades. “Hey, it’s ok,” she murmured as Juliette rocked with emotion. “You’re a vet right? You must know a bit about how humans work. Sometimes, we just see things – usually it’s because we’re stressed, or tired, or unwell. Wesen and humans are pretty similar in that respect.” She laid her own mug down on the floor by her feet and passed a tissue from a side table to Juliette. “Not to mention you’ve been under some really powerful mojo recently.”

Juliette’s sobbing subsided to intermittent hiccupping – she had never been one to cry for long periods. “Will it happen again?” She whispered. “Can I do anything about it?”

Juliette looked up and Rosalee was startled by how clear her eyes were, how pretty, framed by wet lashes. Rosalee pulled herself together, “I’ll be honest with you Juliette, I’m really not sure. With potions as powerful as the ones you’ve had, I don’t want to make any mistakes. I’ll need to run some tests and do some more research before we figure out some way of treating it.”

Rosalee took a breath and took Juliette’s hands in her own. Once again, she was startled by her actions. They’d only just met tonight, under dire circumstances, but it seemed like the right thing to do. “Why don’t you stay here with me, I have room, and if you have any more visions I can help you through them. Meanwhile I can do some reading, and in time, I promise you, we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“You’d do that for me?” Juliette looked uncertain, her brow creased.

“I’ve been Nick’s friend for a while, and I know you’re important to him – even if your relationship is on the rocks, as I last heard. Of course I’ll help you.” _That, and you’re the prettiest woman I think I’ve ever seen_ , she thought to herself, immediately feeling ashamed for thinking such a thing about a friend’s ex. 

“Thank you Rosalee.” Juliette smiled for the first time that evening. It was a small and rather damp smile, but Rosalee thought it was radiant.

\------

Juliette woke up in an unfamiliar room, a beam of early morning sunlight directly in her eyes. She sat up, and as her muscles protested the events of the past night returned to her. No wonder I’m tense, she admonished herself, stretching out her shoulders.

Rosalee, once decided on having Juliette stay at the Spice Shop, had swept her upstairs, lent her a pair of pyjamas, and had physically tucked her into the spare bed in the back room. There were boxes along one wall, and a single window with a poorly fitted curtain that was allowing harsh light to flood the space.

Juliette rose from the bed, noting fully the pyjamas Rosalee had lent her – some soft floral shorts and a clinging tank top. _They’re nice, I wonder what they look like on Rosalee…_ She checked herself mentally – _She’s my host, not some fantasy, have some respect!_ She admonished.

She quietly opened her door, still not quite certain what time it was – no clocks were available in the spare room. Tip toeing downstairs to the main shop, she spotted a hanging cuckoo clock, decorated in a heavy German style. The time read 5:45, _pretty early then._

The sun had risen on the other side of building, yet the shop was not overly dark. It smelled exotic, Juliette detected aromas of cloves, sandalwood, and something more acrid – perhaps pepper. Passing the front counter and towering stacks of bottles, jars and drawers, she moved into the side room – where most of the pharmacological ( _is that the right word for Wesen herb mixing?_ ) processes seemed to take place. 

To the left was the chaise she’d cried upon yesterday, the memory of Rosalee’s warm hand on her back returned to her, accompanied by a feeling of calm and trust. She walked towards the kitchen, on the back wall, and muddled her way through the process of making tea. In a cupboard below the counter she found an extensive collection of teas and tisanes, but some involved ingredients she didn’t fully recognise, so she located the plain peppermint once more and spooned some loose leaves into a cup.

“You know I have some infusers right?”

Juliette jumped, turning around to see Rosalee standing behind her, her kimono from the previous night untied and open, revealing a silky, soft-pink night dress.

Rosalee noticed her staring, and smiled at her brightly, “Don’t you want some coffee instead? Seeing as you’re awake so early.”

Juliette managed to compose herself, “No, it’s ok I often have loose leaf tea at home. I don’t really mind. And I don’t think I should have any caffeine just yet.”

“Good point.” Rosalee moved to the bench, reached up to a cupboard and pulled out two bowls. Then she moved past Juliette, her voluminous robe brushing the back of Juliette’s legs, leaving them tingling. Rustling in a drawer, she pulled out two spoons and said, “All I have by way of breakfast is cereal, and I don’t care how you feel, you’ve had a rough night and you’re going to eat some, ok?”

Juliette huffed, laughing slightly, “You don’t need to tell me again, I’m really hungry.”

Soon they were seated at the tiny two-seat table to the side of the kitchen, two mugs of tea – one swimming with peppermint leaves – and two bowls of cornflakes. Rosalee took a mouthful, then remembered her manners. As Juliette looked up, Rosalee grinned across the table, “By the way, good morning!”

Juliette then laughed properly, all feelings of being out-of-place melting away. “Good morning to you too!”

\------

Fortunately, Juliette had come to Rosalee for help on a Friday night. They had the weekend to work on a solution for Juliette’s problem. After Rosalee quizzed her thoroughly on all aspects of her predicament – the nature of the hallucinations, their frequency, other symptoms – she pulled stacks and stacks of books from all around her house and shop and spread them on the main work bench.

“Do you know any other languages than English.”

“Yeah, I grew up in Spain.” Juliette replied.

“Fantastic,” Rosalee regarded her approvingly, causing Juliette to blush, “then find anything in either Spanish or English and get reading. I’m afraid Wesen filing systems are practically non-existent, so sometimes we have to scour the entire book collection before we find something useful.”

Juliette found herself engrossed in the history and knowledge contained within Rosalee’s library, finding numerous parallels between her work as a vet and treatments suggested by the ancient tomes. Two hours passed in quiet research, then Rosalee closed her current book with a snap and said, “I open on the weekend, so I’m going to get dressed, unlock, and set the signs out. You can stay in here, if you like.”

Juliette was somewhat surprised, _I completely forgot she ran a business here_. “No problem,” she replied, “I’ll put on my jeans too – but, do you mind if I wear your PJ top today?”

“Not at all,” Rosalee responded graciously, with a twinkling smile.

Around 9:00am, they were both dressed, and Rosalee opened the door of the Spice Shop. A steady trickle of customers came in throughout the day. Juliette watched as Rosalee worked, always kind and courteous no matter who she served, she was mistress of her domain. She gracefully stepped around the shop, whether climbing the ladder to fetch a rare herb, or effecting a subtle twirl each time she quickly switched from mixing a tincture to manning the register. 

At noon, Juliette quietly stepped outside while Rosalee was busy with a mother nursing a wailing baby. Squinting in the sunlight, she spotted a café across the street and made her way over to buy some lunch for the two of them. She returned to the Spice Shop to find it devoid of customers, and Rosalee taking the opportunity to wipe down her counters. 

“I bought sandwiches,” Juliette sang out. She was in a decidedly good mood, having found numerous mentions of hallucinations in Rosalee’s books over the morning, now flagged for Rosalee to peruse in due time. She was also glad to have the opportunity to do something simple and nice for Rosalee, after all her help. 

“Great! What kind?” Rosalee asked.

“I didn’t know what you’d like, so I got a tomato-bocconcini baguette, and a salmon-salad roll.”

“Ooh that’s tricky,” Rosalee beckoned Juliette over to the bench, where a couple of high stools were hidden on the ‘business’ side. “Because I like both.”

“Half-half then?” Juliette asked, sitting close to Rosalee, their shoulders brushing.

“Half-half.” Rosalee replied, with another brilliant smile. 

_I could get used to her smiles every day_ , Juliette thought idly to herself. She hadn’t had a girlfriend since veterinary school, but she found herself instinctually drawn to Rosalee. While Nick had caused her stress and his own distress had made her feel terrible, she couldn’t bring herself to feel bad about feeling attracted to another person so soon. After all, her memories of him were still foggy, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever regain any sense of love for him again.

\------

The afternoon passed in a similar fashion to the morning. Juliette researching quietly in the side room while Rosalee ran the Spice Shop. Around mid-afternoon, a small queue of customers formed in the shop. Juliette noticed Rosalee looking somewhat under duress, so she left her current book open and wandered over behind the counter.

“Can I help?” Juliette inquired, “I could run the register, while you prepare the orders.”

Rosalee beamed at her, flushed in her busyness, “That’d be awesome, thank you!”

It was a simple register, and Juliette had worked in retail all through college. She slipped on her ‘customer service persona’ with ease, and helped the first customer – an elderly man buying some sort of oil for his ears – finalise his order. Rosalee passed her little notes for pricing for each customer, and Juliette was surprised to discover that the Wesen-spice trade was hugely lucrative. _I guess there can’t be too many other Wesen apothecaries in Portland, Rosalee must have the market cornered,_ she was impressed.

\------

They closed the shop together a bit after 5:00pm, shooing the last customer out gently, despite his continued efforts to reminisce about his late wife. Juliette had almost entirely forgotten her reason for staying at the Spice Shop when Rosalee asked, “So what did you find today?”

Being brought back down to earth didn’t stop Juliette replying enthusiastically. “Some great stuff! Your books are fascinating! I’ve put tags on pages that mention hallucinations, a couple books mentioned both comas and hallucinations, so I put those in a pile over here,” she gestured to the corner of the work-bench.

“In that case, I suggest we order some take-out – I know a great Malaysian place nearby – and see what we can do about your little problem.” Rosalee enunciated the last two words jokingly, but she could see that Juliette’s mood was falling. “What’s wrong?”

Juliette, looked away, thumbing through the nearest book to her, “Today was so nice, I felt so in-control doing research, and I really, uh, I really liked working with you in the shop. But, I realise that we haven’t actually done anything yet, and I’m so afraid of something happening again like last night.”

Rosalee moved forward, wrapping Juliette in a warm hug. Of the pair, Rosalee was shorter, and for a moment Juliette found herself resting her chin on Rosalee’s head. Juliette was struck by how natural it felt, to be embracing this passionate and kind woman she’d only met the other night.

Rosalee pulled away, holding Juliette at arm’s length. “I can’t promise that you won’t see things again, but I can promise you’ll never have to face them alone, and I’m certain that soon we’ll find a treatment that’ll work.” She spoke with such conviction that Juliette truly believed her, the weight on her heart lifting infinitesimally. 

With some effort, Rosalee managed to remove herself from Juliette. _It’s been a little while since I’ve been close to a woman like this_ , she noted to herself dryly. Aloud, she asked, “I’ll order some food then? We can’t start testing treatments on empty stomachs. Do you like chicken? What about curry?”

By the time dinner arrived, they’d pinpointed a couple of likely treatments and Rosalee had written them down separately to assess them and make sure everything was human-friendly. Over bowls heaped with rice, steamed vegetables and Ayam Goreng, the two found themselves discussing more engaging subjects than pills and potions. 

“Where’d you learn to run a register like that?” Rosalee asked. “You were really great with my customers today.”

“My customers,” Juliette noted, “You really do care about them don’t you.”

“Yeah, I suppose, they’re more than just a source of income. I like to help people.” Rosalee smiled and raised a finger, “You didn’t answer my question though…”

“I worked in a department store in college, about four days a week. It was difficult sometimes finding courses with night classes, but I needed the work. I’d moved into an apartment with my high school girlfriend-“

“Girlfriend?” Rosalee coughed. “So you’re… uh…”

“I’m bi, yeah.” Juliette confirmed, blushing at Rosalee’s all-too-obvious reaction.

“That’s great, yeah, I uh,” Rosalee was obviously trying to play it cool. “I should have guessed. I was kind of getting… vibes.” It was Rosalee’s turn to blush, _I sound like an absolute dork!_

Juliette just laughed, “I’m sorry I stared at you this morning, sometimes I wake up and I don’t have a filter.”

“No, no, that’s ok. I don’t mind.” Rosalee coyly replied, recovering quickly from her earlier embarrassment. “For the sake of full disclosure, since you’ve been kind enough to share, I’m lesbian.”

Juliette smiled broadly and reached a hand across the table to shake Rosalee’s bemused hand, “Congratulations.”

“Why thank you,” Rosalee laughed back, enjoying the sensation of Juliette’s hand in hers.

\------

It was nearing midnight when Rosalee declared the first tincture prepared. They’d chopped, grated and boiled 23 separate ingredients, some as mundane as anise seed and witch hazel, others were stranger – Juliet had been quite revolted by the addition of ground-up mouse spine. As a back-up, they’d also prepared a salve – procured from another almanac – which would have to simmer over Rosalee’s tiny Bunsen burner overnight.

“So, I swallow this, and the hallucinations should stop.” 

Rosalee was holding the small vial of liquid up to the light, it was a lurid purple colour and slightly viscous. “That’s the idea. I’m pretty sure you’ve got a couple of magical influences upon you at the moment – which may make your reaction kind of unpredictable. Either way, I am certain of one thing: this won’t kill you.”

Juliette widened her eyes, “Huh, you really do sound as if you know what you’re doing.”

Rosalee laughed, somewhat nervously. “Hey, don’t worry, I’m joking. This looked like a good remedy for all sorts of hallucinogenic curses, and had been found to help patients recovering from potion-induced coma.” She uncorked the vial and passed it to Juliette. “Drink it all in one go, then you can go to bed.”

“Speaking of bed, I am really tired,” Juliette yawned. “Well, here goes nothing.” She drained the vial of its purple contents, pulling a face as she swallowed. “Urgh, it’s gritty.”

“Sorry about that, it had a number of ingredients that generally don’t dissolve fully, like orris root.”

Juliette stood quietly, frowning and licking the last drops from her lips. Then she suddenly swayed. “Woah, I feel so dizzy,” she slurred as Rosalee rushed over to support her.

“Ok, Juliette, I think we can assume it’s taking some sort of effect. Let’s get you upstairs and in bed to sleep it off.”

Juliette slipped in and out of awareness as Rosalee gently guided her up the narrow staircase and into the spare room, laying her on the bed and taking off her jeans. She was soon fast asleep and Rosalee stood in the doorway watching her chest rise and fall slowly with every deep breath. On a whim, she crossed the floor suddenly, bending down quickly to plant a soft and fleeting kiss on Juliette’s forehead. Blushing, though she knew no one could see her, Rosalee ran quickly to her own room and was soon asleep, smiling despite herself.

\------

Rosalee woke in darkness to the sound of sobbing from Juliette’s room down the hall. Though disoriented, she got up quickly and ran to Juliette’s doorway. She had left a lamp on in the small room, and could see Juliette holding herself in a tight ball, rocking gently at the top of her bed.

“Hey,” she called out softly, “Juliette.” 

Juliette turned towards the familiar voice, tears streaming down her face. Seeing that Rosalee was about to step into her room, she hissed, “Don’t! Please don’t, Rosalee! Can’t you see the hole? Can’t you see it?”

Rosalee didn’t move, instead saying reassuringly, “It’s ok Juliette, I don’t think the tincture worked, you’re hallucinating again. This isn’t real, and I’m going to walk slowly towards you and help you, ok?”

Juliette shivered, then nodded. “Ok” she said in a small voice.

Before Juliette’s eyes, Rosalee crossed the few meters between doorway and bed. With each step she took, sections of floor rose out of the infinite darkness below as Juliette’s mind tried to compensate for what it was processing. The dissonance of hallucination and reality made Juliette’s mind spin, she buried her head in her arms. 

Juliette started when she felt a soothing hand on her back, Rosalee’s thumb rubbed small circles as she sat down beside her trembling house-guest. Though Juliette could hardly hear over the thundering of her own heart, Rosalee was murmuring softly, reassuring her of reality and normality and peace. When she eventually looked up, the floor had returned, that ghastly pit was no more. 

Juliette collapsed in relief, throwing her arms around Rosalee and crying into her soft shoulder. “Please, don’t leave me alone, please. I need you with me.”

“Of course I won’t, you’re safe here, you’re safe with me.” Rosalee gently pulled Juliette up, holding her about her waist and guided her to the main bedroom where she slept in a double bed. Wordlessly, she laid Juliette on the mattress, where the distressed woman promptly curled up, shivering slightly. Juliette watched Rosalee move to her bathroom and return with a glass of water. “Please drink,” she coaxed, encouraging Juliette to sit upright. “You’ll feel better, you’ve had a shock to your system.” She sat next to Juliette, rubbing her knee soothingly.

Once Juliette had sipped the last of the water, Rosalee stood up to turn off the light, leaving her bed-side lamp on. Then she walked over once more to Juliette’s side. Juliette looked up at her, attempting a smile. Rosalee placed a hand under Juliette’s chin, and slowly bent to deliver a soft kiss. Juliette reached her hand upwards, running through Rosalee’s soft hair. After what seemed to Juliette an eternity, Rosalee pulled away, Juliette moving with her, chasing the last few sweet moments. Then, without a word, Rosalee climbed in next to Juliette, put a reassuring arm around her waist and pulled her close. Juliette was asleep within minutes, a warm smile upon her face.

\------

Rosalee woke first. In her sleep Juliette had turned to face her, and had firmly wedged her head under Rosalee’s chin. She basked in Juliette’s warmth. _I can’t believe I’m in bed with her. I’ve only just met her_ , she pondered. _Not as if we’ve done anything though_ , she corrected herself.

Juliette must have felt Rosalee moving slightly because she made a small noise and looked upwards into Rosalee’s face. “M-morning”, she muttered, blinking in the soft morning light. Her eyes were developing dark rings, as would be expected after a few harrowing nights. 

“Morning Juliette,” Rosalee pulled her arms from around Juliette, feeling somewhat rueful, and sat up. Looking over to the small digital clock by her bed she was aghast to discover that it was 8:45. “Oh my god, I need to open the shop in 15 minutes!” Leaping out of bed and rushing to the ensuite, she babbled at Juliette as she pulled on jeans and a soft jumper. “I can’t believe it, I left my phone downstairs, I must’ve missed the alarm. I need to clear off the benches from last night.” Standing in the bathroom doorway, she asked Juliette, “Do I look ok?”

Juliette had been quietly watching her from bed, still dazed from sleep. “You look perfect, Rosalee. You might want to brush your hair a bit though.” She added with a sweet smile.

“I close early on Sundays, around 1:00, sometimes earlier if there’s no one about. Look,” Rosalee ran her hands through her loose hair distractedly, “I’m really sorry it didn’t work out last night. I really thought we might have cured it.”

Juliette nodded, “Don’t worry, I’m ok now, and there are other things we can try.”

“I’ve got to set up for the day, you can come down when you’re ready. Feel free to use my shower.” She gestured to the bathroom as she left the room in a rush.

Juliette looked wistfully at the bedroom doorway her friend had just been occupying. She swung her legs out of bed, noting that Rosalee’s wooden floor was pleasantly warm, stood up and immediately almost tripped over a tall stack of books sitting on the floor by the bed. 

As she shuffled towards the bathroom, Juliette looked about her. Rosalee’s bedroom was softly illuminated by sunlight poking through the curtains. A series of shelves occupied an entire wall, mostly filled with yet more books, but interspersed with antique-looking artefacts and a few succulents and indoor plants.

Rosalee’s bathroom was small, containing the bare minimum of necessary accoutrements. A large, trailing plant of some sort was overflowing from its pot on a brass pedestal in the corner, close by the window. _It seems Rosalee has a green thumb_ , Juliette said to herself, _and good taste_. 

She stripped off and stepped into the shower, hissing slightly as she tried to avoid the initial cold stream of water. As the water warmed, she slowly moved into it, searching for some body wash or shampoo in a small and cluttered basket attached to the top of the shower unit. Juliette closed her eyes, letting the water soothe her tense muscles from the previous night. _I’m so lucky I came to her, I don’t think I could handle this by myself_ , she thought gratefully. 

She didn’t take long in the shower, stepped out and immediately realised, _I don’t have a towel_. The only one available was Rosalee’s. So Juliette tentatively took it, and dried herself off furtively, suddenly feeling that she was taking advantage of Rosalee’s kindness. Another worrying realisation was that she had no new clothes of her own to change into. _I can’t keep wearing what I showed up in on Saturday, I’ll smell terrible_ , she admonished herself. Wrapping herself in the towel, she tiptoed back into Rosalee’s bedroom and looked through the large chest of drawers on the other side of the bed. Finding some underwear and a comfortably faded flannel shirt, she quickly got dressed and made a mental note to buy Rosalee a week’s worth of lunches, _and maybe some cute new panties too_.

Slipping on her own shoes, Juliette made her way downstairs to the shop, finding Rosalee grinding a mysterious herb to a fine powder for a patiently-waiting customer. Rosalee looked up, the pestle falling with a dull thud into the mortar.

Juliette blushed, “I’m sorry Rosalee, I hope you don’t mind, I had nothing else to wear.”

Rosalee collected herself, picking up the pestle once more she smiled warmly to Juliette, “I don’t mind at all, blue really suits you.”

The customer, an elderly lady with a purple rinse through her short cropped hair, winked at Rosalee. “Just a friend staying over dearie?”

Rosalee laughed back at her, “Yes Ms Leverton, just a friend.” She turned to Juliette once more, her eyes soft and caring, “the salve’s pretty much ready in the other room, if you wanted to give it a go. Rub a little on your eyelids every hour throughout today and we’ll see what happens.”

“Great,” Juliette replied. But she felt a certain amount of trepidation in using this next magical treatment. Not to mention the feeling of sadness that was creeping up when she considered that if the salve did help, she wouldn’t have a reason to stay in the Spice Shop any longer.

\------

The salve had stung Juliette’s eyes, making them water as she wandered into the kitchen and found the left-over rice from the previous night’s meal. She divided it into two bowls, poured over a small amount of milk, sprinkled it with sugar and what she was pretty certain was cinnamon, she’d found in a drawer.

The knowing old lady, Ms Leverton, had left the shop by the time she returned to Rosalee. Proffering a bowl she said, “I hope you don’t mind rice for breakfast, but I used to have this a lot as a kid. I think that’s cinnamon on top, but you might want to smell it and check.”

Rosalee lifted the bowl to her nose and confirmed, “Yep, that’s cinnamon. I wouldn’t put anything too weird in the kitchen drawers anyway. This looks great by the way, thank you.” She ate a spoonful and made an appreciative noise.

“No, thank you,” Juliette responded. “I’m so grateful for your help, I don’t know what I would have done without you last night.”

“You’re very welcome,” Rosalee put her breakfast on the counter as she placed a gentle hand on Juliette’s shoulder.

“Uh, about that kiss… I thought I might have dreamt it…” Juliette trailed off.

Rosalee looked sheepish, “No, you didn’t dream it. I hope you don’t mind. Sometimes I just do things instinctively. It can get me in trouble though.”

Juliette shook her head, smiling at the woman facing her, “You’ll get no trouble from me, I think I enjoyed it.” She looked away, blushing fiercely, very embarrassed. 

“Cool,” Rosalee said casually, giving Juliette’s shoulder a last squeeze before taking another mouthful of breakfast. She turned at the sound of the shop bell ringing again. “Oh hi, Mr Caruso, needing another dose of celandine oil?”

\------

The morning passed quickly, fewer customers visited than the previous day, but Rosalee busied herself sweeping and dusting during quiet periods. Juliette helped, refilling spice jars and decanting doses of mysterious potions at Rosalee’s direction.

Every hour, Juliette reapplied her salve. A few times, Rosalee did it for her, and Juliette enjoyed the closeness, Rosalee’s breath ghosting on her cheek. 

Just as Rosalee was making preparations to close for the day, and Juliette was considering what she could buy the two of them for lunch, Monroe burst into the shop.

“Rosalee! Do you have any Chaga mushrooms?” he asked urgently. Noticing Juliette behind the counter, he looked at her quizzically, “Oh, hey there Juliette. What’re you doing here?”

Rosalee cleared her throat, looking concerned. “Sure I have some Chagas, what’re they for? Is Nick on another case?”

At that, it seemed Monroe completely forgot about Juliette. He launched into a confusing story about some sort of new Wesen that had arrived in town, as Rosalee climbed to the very top of her ladder and pulled down a dusty jar of shrivelled fungi. Monroe and Nick had uncovered that this Wesen had been feeding on citizens of Portland for the past few weeks. With a bit of luck they had found a note scrawled on the margins of one of Nick’s Grimm books, explaining that this particular mushroom was a toxic allergen to the subspecies. 

Rosalee ground down a handful of the mushrooms, sending up a cloud of spores that smelled like green wood and bark. She suggested that Monroe deliver it by sprinkling it into his own hand and blowing it into the offending Wesen’s face. “Like glitter,” she added with a chuckle.

“Thanks Rosalee, you’re a life saver,” Monroe gushed. “What do I owe you?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Rosalee replied. “I think I can spare some funky mushrooms for friend.” She and Monroe smiled at one another as he grabbed the vial and quickly exited the shop. Throwing yet more thanks over his shoulder as he left.

“I hope Nick’s ok.” Juliette said quietly. She hadn’t thought of him at all in the past day or so. 

“He’ll be fine,” Rosalee reassured, “He’s a big scary Grimm, plus he’s got a vicious blutbad on his side.”

“Vicious?” Juliette queried with a smile, recalling Monroe’s puppy-dog eyes and friendly demeanour.

“Vicious enough to protect his best friend.”

“True,” agreed Juliette. “I remember when he showed me his face. Uh, you know, his blutbad face.”

“Oh,” Rosalee seemed surprised, “you’ve seen him woge?”

“Yeah, Nick wanted me to remember more, so one night he brought Monroe around to show me.” She frowned slightly, “Even though he talked me through it and prepared me fully, it was still pretty scary.” Suddenly she realised who she was talking to. “Oh, Rosalee, I’m sorry. You’re one too, and I didn’t mean that you’re all scary, it’s just Monroe’s face was pretty freaky and I wasn’t ready for it-“

Rosalee cut her off with a wave of her hand, “Don’t worry about it, I know learning about Wesen can be a weird experience for non-Wesen.”

A silence descended between them. Juliette felt thoroughly rude, not meaning to insult her friend.

Rosalee spoke first, “Do you want to see mine?” she asked quietly.

“What?” Juliette looked at her, eyes wide.

“Do you want to see my woge? I’m a fuchsbau you know. We look pretty different to blutbaden.”

Juliette didn’t speak for a moment, processing what Rosalee was offering to show her. She had always had the impression that Wesen were pretty private about their true faces. She nodded at Rosalee, her features solemn. “I’d like that, yeah.”

So Rosalee tilted her head, as if cracking joints in her neck, and her face shifted.

Juliette tried and failed to keep her jaw from falling open. _She’s adorable_ , she thought to herself in wonder. Rosalee’s face was covered the finest brown fur, shading to white about her features. The irises of her eyes had expanded to a heart-melting caramel colour, and her nose had bizarrely transformed into a pert little button of softest leather. Her lips remained soft and full, perhaps even shading to a slightly rosier colour. Fur extended down her chest, appearing to cover her whole body, Juliette tried not to think how far it went. _Get a grip you pervert_ , she admonished herself.

Juliette realised she was staring. “You look… gorgeous,” she appraised honestly.

Rosalee shifted her features back to normal, glowing under Juliette’s genuine praise. “Thanks,” she blushed, tucking her hair behind her ear awkwardly.

The spell lifted as Rosalee walked over to the shop door, turning the OPEN sign to CLOSED and locking it. “You need to reapply that salve again,” she reminded.

Juliette shook herself mentally, it seemed that every passing moment she shared with Rosalee was causing her to feel more and more strongly about this beautiful and mysterious woman.

\------

They went out for a late lunch, Juliette insisting it was her shout. Walking some blocks away from the Spice Shop, they found a trendy café selling all day breakfast and enjoyed a few hours of conversation and companionship amidst the bustling tables. Juliette was shockingly aware of every brush of Rosalee’s knees under the table and every gentle movement of Rosalee’s hands as she talked.

When they returned to the Spice Shop, Rosalee insisted Juliette try to nap. “You’re exhausted. You’re trying to hide it, but I can tell,” she told Juliette as she gently shepherded her upstairs. Instead of guiding her to the spare room, she pulled Juliette into her own room and sat her on the bed. “I have to do my books on a Sunday, but I really want you to try and rest. Even if you don’t sleep, just relax.” Juliette must have looked worried because she added, “I’ll just be downstairs, and I’ll be up soon again to reapply the salve.”

Juliette sighed and lay back as Rosalee left the room. _I haven’t seen anything terrible yet, but what if I wake up like last night again?_ She drowsed for about an hour, unable to allow herself to fully relax, no matter how tired she felt. She woke up slightly when she heard footsteps on the stairs outside and Rosalee entered the room again. She was holding the salve in one hand with a heavy binder under her arm. 

“Did you sleep at all?”

“Not really. I’m kind of finding it hard to relax,” Juliette fretted.

“That’s ok,” Rosalee reassured, “I’d feel the same way in your shoes. Here’s your salve. I thought I’d sit on the other side of the bed and finish my calculations beside you.”

As Juliette reapplied the salve, once again stinging her eyelids, she felt the bed dip beside her. She opened her eyes to see Rosalee fold her legs beneath her, open the binder over the sheets before her and pull out a pen. 

Juliette hesitated, then lay down once more. She slowly and softly put her head on Rosalee’s knee, desperately hoping that she wouldn’t mind.

Rosalee made a soft humming noise and ran her hand through Juliette’s auburn hair, pulling a few loose strands from her face. And Juliette relaxed fully into her, sliding down slightly until she was supported comfortably at the top of Rosalee’s thigh. Within a few minutes, feeling warm and content, she finally drifted off to sleep.

\------

Juliette woke with a start, the room suddenly dark around her. She soon became aware that she was still laying with her head in Rosalee’s lap and felt relieved to have someone so close. She smiled quietly to herself, then raised her head slightly to see what time it was. The clock by the bed displayed 6:54, and she became aware of her stomach growling in hunger.

Rosalee made a small noise and shifted beside her, she’d also slept, “What time is it?”

“Almost 7:00, do you have anything we could make for dinner?”

“Mmm, good idea,” Rosalee considered, “I probably have some noodles, maybe some vegies and eggs. I’ll throw something together.”

“No, no,” Juliette sat up and put and hand on Rosalee’s leg, “I’ll cook.”

Rosalee smiled at her in the gloom, “Alright.”

\------

Rosalee soon joined Juliette downstairs, breathing in the smell of cooking onion and five-spice.

Juliette was clattering about the kitchen, putting some chopped carrots in the pan on the stove, which appeared to contain some sort of soy-based sauce. 

Rosalee walked up behind her, stopping herself from embracing her from behind, no matter how badly she wanted to. “That smells delicious,” she said breathily, “How're you feeling?”

“Just great!” Juliette responded brightly, turning around to flash a smile at her friend, then reaching over to scoop up the open packet of noodles and placing three nests into a pot of boiling water. “I haven’t seen anything unusual today, I think your potion might be working.”

“It’s not a potion,” Rosalie admonished, “It’s just a simple salve that we made together. Most of my ingredients aren’t all that magical.”

Juliette made a soft sound and turned back to her cooking. Rosalee poked about the small kitchen, trying to help, but was shooed away. “No, don’t help. I’m making this dinner for you, ok?”

\------

Rosalee finished her meal before Juliette. It had been utterly delicious. Nick had never mentioned what an amazing cook Juliette was. _I don’t know why we’ve been eating out so much, when we could have been eating meals as good as this_ , she mused.

Juliette finished chewing her last mouthful. They both started to speak, then both stopped suddenly: “I think you should-“, “Do you mind if I-“

Rosalee laughed as Juliette blushed, “You go first,” she prompted.

“I was just going to ask, that is if you don’t mind, I don’t want to impose-“

“Yeah?” Rosalee crinkled her eyes in amusement at Juliette’s babbling.

“Can I stay here tonight? With you? Please?” Juliette looked so embarrassed and worried that Rosalee reached across the tiny table and took her hand.

Rosalee replied with emotion, “Of course you can. I was about to suggest the same thing. I wouldn’t think of turning you away.” She chuckled deprecatingly, “And we have to be sure that the salve worked fully. I don’t want you frightened and alone again. Ever,” she emphasised.

“I’m supposed to go to work tomorrow at the clinic, but I don’t think I can face a full day of wrangling cats and dogs. I’ll call in sick. I can help out in the shop again.”

“Actually,” Rosalee stood up to take their now empty bowls to the kitchen counter, “I don’t open on Mondays. We can take the day to settle you back home again. That is, if you’re ok with that.”

Juliette once more felt a pang of sadness that she’d have to leave this comfortable life she’d so easily grown accustomed to here at the Spice Shop. Over the past few days, she’d been more at ease than she’d felt in a while. Rosalee was a soothing presence. She responded, “Yeah, that’d be great.”

\------

After dinner, Rosalee had found an old model iPod in a drawer in the shopfront and plugged it into some tiny speakers. Despite their diminutive size, they made a rich sound when she picked a soft folk album to play.

“Nice choice,” Juliette commented.

“Thanks, I think we need something peaceful. Feel free to pick out a book from anywhere – I’ve got some less-medical choices up in my room.” Rosalee herself sat on the chaise at the front of the room, having picked up a novel she seemed to have hidden behind one of her shop counters.

Juliette padded softly upstairs and picked out a worn copy of Wodehouse from Rosalee’s extensive library. She wasn’t certain if she’d read it before. _But they’re all pretty similar anyway, and I feel like something funny_ , she told herself. 

Returning downstairs, she noticed that the only seating (except maybe on top of the workbench) was the chaise Rosalee currently occupied. Rosalee noticed Juliette hesitating, so she patted the surface beside her and said, “I know, limited seating. I haven’t gotten around to buying any other chairs yet.”

Sitting beside Rosalee, enjoying both the book and the warmth of the lovely woman beside her, Juliette remarked again how at-ease she felt. She was certain that her hallucinations were in remission and for the first time in a few days, _a few months actually_ , she was genuinely and peacefully happy.

\------

That night, neither woman questioned that they both climbed into bed together. Rosalee once again played the ‘big spoon’, embracing Juliette with such care and fondness that Juliette almost believed they had been doing this for years.

No terrors haunted Juliette that night. In fact, she slept soundly and deeply. Waking only when Rosalee’s phone – now on the bed side table – chirped it’s alarm at 8:00. Both she and Rosalee woke smiling at one another, exchanging morning greetings, and in a rush of bravery, Juliette leaned forward and brushed a kiss to Rosalee’s cheek.

She pulled back, staring into Rosalee’s eyes, gauging if her reaction was positive. Rosalee smiled back widely, put her hands around Juliette’s shoulders and returned the kiss, this time fully on her mouth. After a few moments, in response to Rosalee’s questioning tongue, Juliette opened her mouth and the couple found themselves kissing passionately. Juliette moaned involuntarily, surprised by the rush of emotion she felt at finding herself in this wonderful predicament. The two spent the next half-hour exchanging kisses of various depths, chaste yet exciting. 

Eventually, Rosalee broke off, “We have things to do today, and while I, uh” – she huffed contentedly – “adore this, I kind of want to take things slow.” She looked at Juliette sheepishly.

Juliette smiled at her, conveying full understanding. _I only met her two days ago, I guess this is a bit fast_ , she admitted to herself. “I don’t mind,” she replied airily, “I slept so well in your bed, you know.”

Rosalee made a move to get up, gazing fondly into Juliette’s eyes. “Me too. I mean, I slept well with you in my bed.”

\------

All too soon, Juliette found herself on her own doorstep once more. Rosalee stood beside her and slipped her hand into Juliette’s.

“Hey,” she murmured, “you’ll be ok. You’ve had absolutely no symptoms for more than 24 hours now, and we carried out that salve’s recipe to the letter.”

Juliette returned Rosalee’s smile, “I know, but the memories of it are just still so strong.” Bracing herself, she found her key and opened the door. Stepping through, she was glad to notice that the floor had returned from the abyss. Memories threatened to overwhelm her, her heart began to beat more strongly.

Rosalee’s grip on her hand tightened, “Whoa, this place is gorgeous.”

“You’re gorgeous,” retorted Juliette, glad to be drawn out of her negative reminiscing.

Rosalee stayed the next few hours as Juliette dressed in some fresh clothes and made them both lunch. 

Ruefully, Rosalee said, “I’ve still got some errands to run and some orders to fill. I think I should get going.”

Juliette immediately felt dismayed, but managed a weak smile, not wanting to make Rosalee feel bad. “Yeah, of course.”

“Why don’t I put my number in your phone? Then you can call me if you need me, for anything at all.”

Juliette found her phone and passed it to Rosalee, “That’s a great idea.” To get her own number to Rosalee’s phone, she surreptitiously sent a small love heart. Rosalee’s mobile made a small beep in her pocket, but before she could check it, Juliette leant forward and placed a warm kiss on the shorter woman’s lips. “Thank you for everything Rosalee, truly.”

“For you?” Rosalee quipped with a wry smile, “anything.” And with that, she turned to leave.

It wasn’t until Rosalee returned to the Spice Shop later that afternoon, tired after a number of errands, that she heard her phone beep again. Looking down, she read the message Juliette had sent:

Are you free for a proper  
date tomorrow night?  
I know a string group that’s  
playing at the music  
conservatorium :) x

Rosalee smiled widely in her empty shop and began to type her response. 

**Author's Note:**

> • Thank you for reading all the way through! I know it’s long, my goodness. Concrit would be gratefully appreciated!  
> • Juliette deserved better, and Rosalee’s the best I know – so here we are.  
> • The idea of magical herb shop lesbians sets my heart aflame.  
> • Moreover, the response “congratulations” to coming out is one of my favourite things.  
> • Lastly, considering the show’s writers were pulling the plot out their asses for six seasons, I think I can pull some herbal-magical mumbo-jumbo out my own ass.


End file.
